Kirk's Play on Parsons
by Scottea
Summary: Kirk's action and reaction to somebody who hurt Spock in the name of science. Spock's POV is another story to follow. Thanks to Gene Roddenberry and Paramount for the characters that I have played with.
1. Chapter 1

Spock had been as close to being excited as he would allow himself to show when he had told James Kirk of looking forward to working with Daniel Parsons on his science project on the science station given to him by the Federation for four years. Kirk knew it was unusual for Parsons to ask for any outsiders to come to help him but then his friend and First Officer was an exceptional being and scientist in his own right. It would only be for six days while the Enterprises was in the area on what was known, by starship captains, as a milk-run, just a routine check with outposts that were well back from any immediate danger.

"It is an honour to be able to watch Professor Parsons at work, Jim. He has made many discoveries with regard to how beings adapt to long term space life and to utilizing other life forms in the colonization of uninhabited planets. He has an most unique approach and is very thorough. He records every one of his experiments to go over and over should there be any doubt in his own mind or that of others."

"Just remember where home is, Spock." Kirk had smiled as he watched his friend step up onto the transport platform awaiting Parsons to lower the deflector shield that surrounded his station.

"I will see you in six days, Captain."

Six days. Now time meant nothing. Nothing did. James Kirk sat alone with the urn of ashes they had beamed up a few hours ago. He sat just looking at it unwilling to believe that it was all that was left of his best friend. McCoy had offered to give him something but Kirk just shook his head. "I've been over that sample fifty-nine times, Jim. It is, was Spock's DNA."

Twice the buzzer had sounded before Kirk answered it.

"Captain, we are getting a strange message from the station. A repeated question."

"Lieutenant Uhura, can't you?"

"Sir, you need to come to the Bridge." quickly she had cut communications and Kirk knew that she knew him well enough to know that that action alone would get him to the Bridge.

Stepping out of the turbolift he walked over to her, "You want to explain what that was all about?"

"You need to hear the message."

"Let's hear it. Put it on audio."

"Can Vul hear? Can Vul hear?"

Kirk looked at his Communications Officer, there had been something in her voice that indicated she knew who it was but he did not recognize the voice, there was also suppressed growing excitement that only having worked with her for so long allowed him to detect.

He wearily shook his head. They knew that the station was secured and therefore the message was clearly meant for somebody on it. The one voice he wanted to hear from that station was gone. Taken by a blast. Gone. Without saying a word he turned back to look at the viewscreen. At the station. Damn.

It was only going to have been for six days. He could have refused to let Spock go. It was within his right to have refused but there were so few things that excited his Science Officer and best friend. Two days after leaving Spock at the station he had been woken in the night by Spock calling out his name in agony, pain, and fear. No, it had been more than just fear, terror. He had calmed himself by reflecting that he was simply missing his Vulcan friend and it would have been a bad dream. There was very little that could go wrong on a scientific research station. Then there had been that moment when he was on the Bridge when he had almost fallen as Spock's voice screamed out to him. The day after that had come the message from the station that Spock and two technicians had been killed in an explosion. The rest of the trip to Hallot and the return to the science station had been one he could not fully recall. There had been one other time when he had woken, sure that he had heard Spock crying out for his help, but knew it was impossible. Parsons had sent them the footage leading up to the explosion and it had been Spock.

On return to the science station Parsons had beamed up what he had said were all they could fully identify as being Spock's remains. Laboratory tests on the Enterprise confirmed that that small container in Kirk's quarters held Spock's remains.

"I am sure he will be greatly missed by your and your crew, Captain Kirk. Most unique. What I learn from him has proven invaluable and adds greatly to future work. A most interesting study. So much to learn. Now, if you will prepare and beam down what I asked for I will beam up your officer's few possessions."

An officer Kirk had seen around the ship had been helping Uhura with some modifications to the Communications computer and had looked at him and then at Uhura, "Odd if not strange." then had left without another word.

The transporter room let him know that the things Parsons wanted were ready to beam down, Kirk gave the order, then waited till he heard, "Transport completed. I will wait till you notify me to beam up what they are sending. I, I do have some minor repairs to do if you could convey that to their people."

Then nothing till that message that clearly was from the station.

"Yes, oh yes, he hears. He hears." Uhura quickly said then cut communications, turned and looked briefly at Kirk then at Sulu, "Sulu, can you get a lock on that communicator?"

"Uhura?" It was unusual for his Communications Officer to ever reply as she had just done.

"Lock onto that communicator, Sulu." she looked at Kirk, "Answer the question in the affirmative using the words he used, Sir."

James Kirk looked at her, and froze as his mind said, "Vul can hear.". He saw her nod. Vulcan here. Suddenly the bridge was alive with activity as the others realized what it meant but Kirk was still too numb to accept it. They had seen the explosion. They had the remains. Parsons had told them.

A rapid message came across the audio, "Five here and nine there. Five here and nine there. Trick play. Trick play. Yours."

Almost immediately Uhura replied, , "Five here and nine there. Trick play. Careful."

"All ways, always."

"Sulu you have the Conn. Uhura, come with me. Have McCoy meet us in the transporter room."

In the turbolift Kirk looked at his Communications Officer, "Want to tell me who that is and what is going on?"

"It is Tyler, he's on that station, and he has Spock."

"But Spock,"

Now Uhura looked at him and he saw it, she had not accepted Spock's death, "What we were sent were ashes with some having Spock's DNA in a special vial for out conformation. The urn was sealed and those ashes with Spock's DNA were with it but we did not take them from it so we cannot say they are Spock's."

"The scanner,"

"The scanner verified ashes with **some** of Spock's DNA in that sample were were given but how do we know they came from the urn? And it was not entirely his."

"There was a blast." it hurt to think of it but Kirk knew he had to make her accept.

"Yes, but we did not see it, only heard it and saw footage given of immediately before and the area afterwards." Gently Uhura reached out and touched the arm of her friend and captain, "Tyler heard something we did not and he got onto the station and has Spock with him. Think how odd it was for the urn to be sealed because of contamination and for Parsons to have that sample set aside that showed no contaminates. He clearly wanted Spock for something, he wanted to keep him, and he knew you would not open the urn, he knew of your relationship with Spock."

"Okay," he felt a flicker of hope raise in him, took Uhura's hand in his and squeezed it. He had twice heard Spock calling to him after the blast. "Supposing he has Spock with him, how does he intend to get off the station?"

"All I know is that he will find a way, Sir. If there is any way to get him off, Tyler will find it."

"You do realize he is in serious trouble for going onto the station. He had no authorization from me and definitely none from Parsons."

For a moment Uhura just looked at him and smiled, "Knowing Tyler I guess he thought that Spock is worth getting into serious trouble."

"What's this all about, Jim?" McCoy met them just outside the transporter room.

"We'll soon find out. If what Uhura suspects is right, Spock is alive and about to be beamed aboard from the station."

"I better take her to,"

"Five standard minutes is up."

Quickly Uhura rushed to the intercom, "Sulu, do you have a lock on a second communicator?"

"Yes, near where there was an explosion. The shields are down. All the stations shielding is down. Feeding both co-ordinates now."

"Send them in order. The first one now and the other in four standard minutes."

"Transporting now."

Kirk felt a hand grip his shoulder as a form materialized in the alcove and they realized it was Spock. Clearly dazed and wrapped in a robe but alive. "Jim," his voice was a sigh as he fell into Kirk's arms fighting to stay conscious.

At that moment the captain of the Enterprise did not care who was there as he hugged his closest friend to him and whispered, "Oh God, Spock, I thought you were dead. I never thought I'd see you again. If I'd known he was,"

"I admit I thought I would never see you again either, Jim. I thought I would never see you again, that I would forever be used by Parsons." Kirk felt his friend hug him back then look around. "Where is?"

Kyle had briefly glanced at the Vulcan First Officer then back at the instrument panel and clock, "I have Officer Tyler co-ordinates locked in. Beaming him aboard in three point eight five standard minutes."

McCoy waved his medical tricorder over Spock as he still allow his friend to hold him in a reassuring embrace, a sure sign of the trauma he had survived. "We best get you to Sick Bay, Spock. I need to check out those readings and,"

James Kirk felt the arms around him tighten and looked at McCoy, "I think we'll wait till Tyler is beamed aboard then you can check them both over." the head that was resting on his shoulder nodded slightly and Kirk knew he had guessed what his friend had to see. One thing that was a constant with his Vulcan friend was his loyalty to fellow officers.

"Beaming up from the second set of co-ordinates."


	2. Chapter 2

Captain James T Kirk knew it was only his Vulcan friend's weakened physical strength that kept him from rushing to the bloodied form that was beamed up. The officer was somehow standing and looking around, clearly confused. With a nod McCoy gripped Spock's arm as Kirk walked up to his officer. "Officer Tyler?"

"Captain?"

"Yes."

The officer held out a recording disc, "Only one. Proof. Spock's." Kirk took the disc and the officer collapsed to the platform as though he had been pole-axed. Kirk looked from the disc in his hand to his Vulcan friend as McCoy rushed forward. There was no mistaking the questions and guilt in those dark eyes before the Vulcan looked back at the crumpled form that McCoy was leaning over.

"Bones?"

"He's still alive. I'll tell you more as soon as I know more. Let's get them both to Sick Bay."

He had helped Spock get onto a bio bed and ready to put himself into a healing trance when he saw how his fried was looking at the disc. He remembered how Tyler said it was Spock's. He held it out to his Vulcan friend, "Tyler said this was the only recording and that it is yours."

There was no mistaking the relief in the dark eyes as Kirk handed the disc to his friend, "Thank you, Jim. It would only have upset you."

While he had been helping Spock McCoy had started working on Tyler when Kirk was summons to the bridge because Parsons wanted to talk to him.

Calmly he walked to the command chair and waited till he was seated before telling Uhura to open a channel to the station.

The scene filled with a man in what appeared to be a small computer office and there was no mistaking the hostility in his voice as he looked right at the screen, "Captain Kirk, I demand the immediate return of **my project**!"

"What project are you talking about, Professor Parsons? The only thing you have sent use was,"

"I am not stupid, Kirk. I know I sent you the ashes. But somehow one of your officers obviously has managed to get onto the station and has stolen a major scientific **project** I was working on, destroying my laboratory in the process, taking the only recording of all my work with it, and I demand his immediate return with **my project**."

"I thought you earlier told me, when we left my First Officer with you, that he would be safe as there is absolutely no way for any person from any ship getting into your laboratory and now you accuse one of my people."

"Clearly the officer had superior computer skills."

"My Science Officer had the most superior computer skills in the Fleet. While most of my crew have good computer skills, he was the only one with superior skills. As you know Star Fleet thoroughly assesses and tests all crew joining a starship."

"I would suggest you check your records again, Kirk, to find this officer and return him with **my project** immediately. He must have superior computer skills to have broken the codes as easily as he did and technical knowledge beyond your limited comprehension as he clearly beamed to the station yet there is not sign of living matter either coming from or going to your ship." Kirk looked at the man, "But your ship has the best security and scanning systems in the quadrant. Surely if one of my officers did,"

"Oh, there is no doubt that one of your officers did break into the station and into my laboratory There is no if, Kirk, there is no doubt that one of your officer managed to somehow ingeniously fooled our systems, broke into the station, and stole my project. That is fact. **I want it back**."

The man was getting more riled and Kirk knew he was taking the bait slowly, just as he wanted him to. "I find it highly doubtful that I will but should I find an officer with superior computer skills equal to Mister Spock's it will prove nothing as there is no recorded transporter activity apart from Mister Spock beaming down to the station, the goods you requested having been beamed down, and the urn and ashes being beamed to the ship. You, yourself, said that you had the transporter system at your end checked for living material being transported and found nothing. And you have not told me what the officer is supposed to have stolen."

"As I said, Kirk, your officer has somehow manipulated the systems so they did not show any living material as being transported. I do not know how but I do know, as security has told me, that an unknown person was seen aboard the station, there are indications that he was injured in his escape from custody, and that person beamed off the station after stealing **my project** and the only related recording of my work and destroying my laboratory. The only ship he could have transported to is your one, Kirk. Perhaps you should check with your medical staff as if he is still alive he will need urgent medical attention and will for some time as I have a rather specialized security system."

"Okay, if there is somebody aboard this ship who miraculously got through your security, somehow fooled your transporter system, has been injured in the act that still does not tell me what it is that this person took. All you have said is project. Can you or any of your staff fully describe what I will be looking for?"

"All you need to know, Kirk, is that it is vital I continue working on** my project**. It could save millions of human lives. Find the officer and you will find **my project**. He is obviously hiding it from you. **My project** is totally worthless to anybody but me at this stage and it is imperative that I have it returned immediately. I trust that I can count on your support, your First Officer was most impressed by the potential of the project."

Kirk heard the turbolift's door open and a hand rest briefly on his shoulder before he pointed to the communications unit, leaving it on, and waited, knowing it was McCoy who had just come to the bridge. "He's on total support, Jim. The next few days will tell."

"And,"

"Entranced and recording."

Kirk nodded. Since Spock had beamed back aboard not one of his crew had said anything that would indicate that both Spock and the officer who saved him were alive and back on the ship. McCoy had let him know that Spock was going to be fine, was still in a healing trance, and that he had set the computer to record so Spock could play it back later in his quarters.

"Captain Kirk, is there some problem?"

"I will deal with him later. Kirk here, sorry about the disruption but one of my senior officers reported that a troublesome officer aboard the ship was being watched as he found Mister Spock's death hard to deal with." it was the truth in a fashion, "Now, you were about to tell me what the **project** you were working on that you claim one of my officers has taken from your secure station is. Perhaps we can help you get a replacement."

"No, dammit! Aren't you listening? He was the only one of his kind."

"**He?**"

"You call your ship she, do you not, Captain? Do you not say either she or it? I say it or he."

"Yes. Point taken. You mentioned that this supposed officer was injured. How do you know this?"

"There was human blood all around the corridor just outside the laboratory, clearly my security system did not stop him entering but it appears to have done the damage it was designed to when he left."

"How can you be sure it was this alleged officer's blood?"

"I know human blood and this was human blood, Kirk. Fresh human blood and plenty of it. Your officer might have been smart enough to break in, to cause the havoc he has, to steal **my project**, but, unless he has had specialist medical attention by now he will be dead or very close to it. Without my immediate attention he will have an agonizing slow death. I am the only one who knows the correct antitoxins and procedure. So you see, Kirk, I can save your officer and all I ask for in exchange is **my project**, which was stolen in the first place."

Kirk smiled to himself, Parsons was furious and only just maintaining some control, "If it would help you, if you would be able to somehow track this project of yours, I will have you beamed aboard."

"Yes, yes. That is a good idea. I will be able to bring some equipment with me and find my project but I must be allowed to search on my own, Captain Kirk. I must be allowed to search on my own and leave without any interference from you or your crew once I have found my project."

"You are sure you will find it on my ship?"

"On your ship and with your officer, Kirk. As we both know, your ship is the only one within transporter range. It will be on your ship. I will beam over."

**_Gotcha_**! It was all Kirk could do not to say it aloud. He was getting Parsons off his station of his own free-will and, as soon as he set foot on the Enterprise, he was under Federation law and would be charged with what he did to Spock. For the first time James Kirk wished he had not handed the disc over to Spock yet remembered how relieved the Vulcan had been when he had held it out. He did not want to think about what was on that disc since Spock had said it would upset him.

"I will have all corridors on the ship cleared for you and all rooms to be opened for you. It will take me a few minutes. I will contact you again shortly and arrange transport. Kirk out."

Kirk had looked at his bridge crew and saw they understood and he looked at Uhura, "Make the announcement that corridors are to be cleared and rooms to be opened for our guest. I will see Spock."

"Keptin, please tell him," Chekov started and Kirk nodded.

"I'll let him know you are all thinking of him and awaiting his return to the bridge."

When he walked into Sickbay Kirk saw Spock standing talking with McCoy and not in their usual argumentative postures, more one of camaraderie and understanding.

"I agree, Doctor. He will be on restricted duty for several weeks but will make a full recovery. These next ten hours will be the hardest on him as the antitoxins are administered in correct sequence and potency. As he will no doubt be resistant at first I,"

"I will welcome you help, Spock."

"Ahhh, Captain," while he saw the private smile on his friend's face that was also in his voice Kirk held up his hand.

"Parsons is beaming over shortly,"

"Are you out of your **goddam mind**, Jim?"


	3. Chapter 3

"No, but I need Spock to go and be in that small closet in briefing room two and wait till he knows when to pop out and spring the trap I have set." He looked at his friend, and nodded, "He is after you and keeps calling you his project. He thinks Tyler is dead or dying."

"It was close but the walking computer here and I figured out the antitoxins and helped in preparing them. I would not have thought of the antitoxins Spock came up with but they have worked. Tyler still has a long way to go but he will recover. You two go off and get that creature, just do not let him get too close to me."

"Might I ask, Jim, if you are going to tell him the truth as soon as he is on the ship?"

"Not immediately. I was thinking of somehow sidetracking him for a bit"

"There's extra T-negative you can use, Jim."

"What?" Kirk looked at McCoy, knowing how guarded the doctor was with the blood he kept on hand for Spock.

"If I am correct, Captain, I believe the good Doctor is thinking of the old Earth backwoods habit of leaving a trail."

"It is not a backwoods habit, just because it is not something Vulcans would do."

As Kirk took the pouch of blood from his friend he smiled at both men, things were getting back to normal with them like that.

Parsons had beamed aboard with some fancy equipment and stepped down from the transporter pad looking so confident, "Now, I trust you have told your crew not to hamper me in any way and that I will soon have back **my project**. I will want to see the officer responsible, if he is not already dead, severely punished for what he has done."

"We have yet to establish that your project is here and that it was stolen. All we have is your word. You have given us no proof."

"That officer also stole the only recording, the only proof of how far I had come, how close I was to controlling him."

"**Controlling** the officer?"

"No, the project. Everything was going so well and then he stole it, removed the only record I had of what I had done, of all my procedures and techniques, and totally destroyed my laboratory. Ah," the machine Parsons had started humming and Kirk gave a side-ways glance to Kyle, "I will soon have **my project** as the reading is very strong. There, there, you see, it is tracking him already."

"You have it tracking my officer?"

"Of course not, Kirk. He is secondary to **my project** and my records. There," he pointed to a monitor on the machine, "There is the proof it is here. I will soon have **my project** and you agreed you would not stop me."

"I agreed I would not stop you searching. But I still see no proof."

"I calibrated this to his fluids. Clearly both were injured."

"Both injured? I thought you said it was tracking your project, surely you mean damaged."

"Really, Captain Kirk, **you are getting tiresome**. There was only human blood found not Vul," Parsons stopped himself and looked at Kirk trying to see if Kirk had picked up his slip but the captain of the Enterprise was just looking at the machine indicating his project was aboard the Enterprise, "not volumes of it but enough to indicate he would be in serious need of immediate medical care when he got back to your ship. This is tracking the other fluid that would be from **my project**."

The machine followed the trail that Kirk and McCoy had laid out using the pack of T-negative blood. Spock had suggested that it would be good to let Parsons think he was on a real trail by having him go down to the cargo bays and then back up to one of the briefing rooms. To have intermittent drops so as not to be overly obvious. The machine's hum had been constant but not it was louder and Parsons smiled, mumbling to himself, "Soon I will have him back and can continue my work. Nothing will stop me now."

Outside one door the humming was high-pitched and Parsons looked at James Kirk with a victorious smile on his face, "I have found **my project**. Now you remember you said you would not stop me."

"I remember."

"If you don't mind I want to be alone with **my project** as I need to see what damage that officer of yours did. I would suggest you go find that officer."

Kirk smiled as he signaled for the door to open, "I will go see that other officer but first," he stood aside and let Parsons walk into the room, "I want to have a word or two with my First Officer."

"That is understandable, Kirk. You will still be getting used to working with a new First Officer. Mister Spock was an exceptional,"


	4. Chapter 4

"I am surprised you use the past tense now," Spock stepped into view and Kirk saw how Parsons was clearly shaken and pale

"No. How? This, he, it," totally consuming disbelief as on Parson's face, "when I left you were, there is no way, absolutely no way, anybody could have known how, the drug should have, only a specialist, you can't be."

Without moving forward Spock held up a disc and Parsons went quiet. "When you left me I was restrained and unable to move, I could feel the drug that was entering my body though my arms slowly starting to take control of my mind, slowly removing the mind rules, about to wipe out my memories, but this was still recording everything. I want you to see this, to know how it happened. "

Only for a moment did the dark eyes meet hazel eyes, "Captain, this might be,"

"I want to see what you are going to show him."

With a nod the Vulcan looked back at Parsons, "This will show one crew member of the Enterprise knowing what to do to stop what your drugs were doing to me."

For a few minutes it just showed Spock laying naked and secured to the metal bed with the tubes and wires entering and leaving his body, the band around his head and the one around his throat. The Vulcan glanced as his Captain and saw the controlled fury in his friend and wondered if it were wise for him to see it yet knowing he had the right. The screen showed Tyler charge through a door, place a cloth over Spock's eyes, put a robe of some sort over the naked Vulcan as he lay strapped out on an examination table. It showed how Tyler methodically removed a band from around Spock's head and another from around his throat, how he clearly knew Vulcan physiology as he injected something right into Spock's heart before removing the intravenous drip and giving the Vulcan four more injections in a rather unusual pattern. Tyler left the area and then the screen went blank.

"He, he, he knew. How? He had it planned. Only a medical specialist or a doctor with McCoy's skills would have known the correct procedure, the correct doses, the correct sites on a vulcanoid. The injections had to be given in series, at the right moment, in the right location otherwise it would have killed the subject." Parsons looked at Kirk in utter confusion, "**He could have killed him**, Kirk. Who, who was he and what rank? He will surely be dead by now. And there is no way anybody without a comprehensive knowledge of various security systems and how they can inter-relate could have managed to get through my system undetected."

What he had just seen confirmed Kirk's worst fears and he looked at Parsons with more hatred than he had felt in a long time. "As my First Officer told you, he is a crew member of the Enterprise. Who he is, his rank, and his present condition are of no concern to you."

"Don't you understand, Kirk. A mind that could figure out a way to get through my security system, a mind that knew how to stop and reverse the effects of what I was giving the project, a mind like that could be lost unless I help. A human mind capable of all of that is one we cannot afford to lose."

Only a look from Spock halted Kirk's advance on Parsons as the anger built in him, "You talk of a lost mind. Wasn't that what you were taking from my First Officer, his mind?"

"I was only perfecting a way to make Vulcans of more use the humans, a way we could control them and have ready access to their superior intellect and strength yet with them totally under our control. The perfect expendable units to be used by Star Fleet." Parsons looked from Kirk to Spock then back to Kirk, "We would still have had his mind and body to use. I am sure I have not lost too much time with him, it should only take a few hours to have him back as he was and I can continue. He is still **my**," He took a step forward and reached out to grab Spock.

This time Kirk reacted before Spock could stop him. He charged at Parsons, pinning him to the wall and letting and his anger come out, "You are never, and I mean never, going to touch my First Officer nor any other Vulcan again. For what you did to him I should kill you right here and now but I am a Star Fleet officer and I will turn you over to the authorities."

"**You promised**."

"If we were to play back our conversations you would find I never promised to let you leave. You mentioned it but I never agreed to it. **I promised to let you search the ship** and you did that. You are now under arrest, by Star Fleet regulations, for crimes against my First Officer and, doubtless, before him other sentient lifeforms. "

"You must know that I am the only one who can save your other officer." Parsons looked levelly at Kirk, and smiled, "Are you willing to lose another officer, a human officer, for this, this Vulcan? A human officer who will die in excruciating agony unless I help him, Kirk. You must know a human life is worth more. It will take him a long time to die and it will be an agonising death but I can save him in exchange for this Vulcan. You really going to let a human with the mind like that die a pain-filled and slow death for that Vulcan?"

Trying to control his fury Kirk let go of Parsons and glanced at Spock for a moment then looked back at Parsons. "The officer who saved my First Officer knew the risks involved in his actions, actions he instigated on his own. He did not see my First Officer as a Vulcan but as a fellow crew member of this ship and, as a crew member of this ship, was willing to risk his life for him."

Slowly he walked to the intercom, "Security, our guest is ready to be taken to his quarters."

"But that officer, Kirk, will die in agony if he is not already dead."

"I believe you complimented Doctor McCoy's medical skills. He has the officer stable."

"Stable is not the same as saving him."

Kirk nodded to the security guards and they stood beside Parsons, "Take him."

Spock was sleeping when Tyler first opened his eyes but McCoy was beside the bed and saw how he looked anxiously around till he saw Spock asleep, then slowly nodded and closed his eyes, McCoy took a reading with the scanner even though he know it would be no different from what the other readouts showed him. Briefly Tyler opened his eyes again and half-smiled when he looked at Spock again. McCoy saw a momentary fluctuation in the diagnostic registers, he still had a long way to go.

The question that had puzzled him since they realized Tyler had gone for Spock was asked aloud before the doctor realized he was talking, "What made you think Mr Spock was still alive?"


	5. Chapter 5

"Words. Present tense, not dead and not body. Present tense." sleep claimed him McCoy shook his head as James Kirk entered Sick Bay and looked from him to the sleeping patient.

"He's asleep. He's going to need a great deal of sleep. Those wounds are infected, apparently there was some sort of poison on the things that inflicted the injuries and he lost a lot of blood. He'd put tight tourniquets on his thighs which stopped the flow of most of the poison: most likely saved himself. The blast that knocked out the shields also knocked him. He had cranial bleeding in four places, two of which were causing pressure in his brain." McCoy sighed and looked at Kirk, "I am more concerned about that Vulcan: he won't leave Sick Bay. After all he's been through I did not want to call Security. I told him he could stay there till you came. He should be sleeping in his own quarters."

McCoy rocked on his heels and tried to think of a convincing lie but said, "I asked how he knew Spock was alive."

"His answer will be most interesting to hear, Doctor, especially as you told us that he should not be questioned until he was fully recovered." Spock sat up and looked at his two friends then at Tyler.

"He said it was because Parsons used the present tense when speaking about you."

"Really?" an eyebrow arched as Spock continued to look at Tyler, "I did not know he was a linguist specialist. From his actions in rescuing me I would have thought he was in the Search and Rescue branch of Security."

Kirk walked over and put a hand on his Vulcan friend's shoulder, "He rostered on four years ago as a tri-divisional officer with linguistics, rescue, and physics as his indicated strong areas but an efficient and effective officer in all areas. Right now he needs to sleep and you could do with some. I'll walk you to your quarters."

"Doctor McCoy said I could,"

"Let me rephrase it, Spock," he squeezed the shoulder under his hand, "I am taking you to your quarters. McCoy will notify us when we can visit him."

"I, I should be here when he,"

Kirk tightened his hold on the shoulder, "McCoy will let us know when he wakes."

By the time they both barrelled into Sick Bay almost together McCoy had restraints on Tyler and was struggling to keep his head still, "Spock's fine. He went to his quarters. You're on the Enterprise. You must relax."

In one movement Spock pulled McCoy away and place a hand on Tyler's fore-head, not in a meld, more in a reassuring almost human way, "This is Spock. I am here. Open your eyes. Look at me."

Tyler opened his eyes and Kirk saw how the panic slowly faded in them and how the body relaxed as he recognized Spock, saw him smile and closed his eyes, "Told you I'd bring you back. You,"

"I am fully recovered," briefly the Vulcan looked over at McCoy and the doctor nodded his understanding.

"I'm in serious,"

"Right now you are in serious need of sleep. I will have the restraints removed provided you will sleep and follow medical orders.'

"Thanks. I don't like being strapped," regret was almost instantly in the eyes,"Ohmigawd, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I forgot what he."

"That is the past." slowly Spock started to release the restraints and paused for a moment to look at Tyler, "I apologise for,"

"There is nothing to apologise for. There is nothing to ever be discussed. As you say, it is in the past."

Kirk looked at them and knew it had to do with the events that occurred in the Science Station, events he would have known about had he watched the disc Tyler had handed him saying it was Spock's. It was clearly something very personal as Spock stood a long time just looking down at Tyler then nodded.

"Agreed. It is the past." He removed the last restraint. "I will remain with you till you go to sleep and when I return I will advise you of your rostered duties."

"Thank you, Mr Spock." it was more a sigh than actual words as sleep claimed him and Jim Kirk saw his First Officer momentarily touch the side of Tyler's face before turning away.

"There will be no further need for the restraints, Doctor. It is clear I should have remained earlier but now that he accepts we are both safe he will sleep. I apologise for pulling you away,"

"You had to help him, I understand, Spock. He'll sleep for a few hours now. I will let you know when he is awake again. You were right, before, you should have stayed as you were what he needed to feel and see to believe it was the residual effects of a nightmare. "

Both the Captain of the Enterprise and the Chief Medical Officer glanced at one another as the Science Officer closed his eyes momentarily and said, "Yes, it was a nightmare." Very slowly the Vulcan officer seemed to pull himself together and looked at his two friends, "If you gentlemen will excuse me, I am on duty in ten point four one minutes and I would like to have a few minutes alone before I report to the Bridge."

After he had left Kirk looked at McCoy, "Tyler handed me a disc that had all that was done to Spock down there. I didn't watch it. Spock showed a little bit that totally un-nerved Parsons to know he had that proof. Migawd, Bones, it must have been horrific, a living nightmare for him."

"From what I can tell Parsons was doing some sort of testing on his mental abilities and had restrained him only to keep him still for the testing and the drugs."

"He,"

"By the time I did my scans on him his brain was almost back to its usual with only a trace of trauma that had vanished by the time I took the last scan. There was an indication that a variety of drugs had been pumped into his systems but his last blood work-up was clear. Tyler had taken some of the Vulcan medication and,"

"Tyler **stole medical**,"

"Easy, Jim," McCoy put a hand on his arm and half-smiled, "I am willing to stake my career on the fact if he hadn't taken them and used them as he did Spock would be dead or a mindless thing by now."

Slowly Kirk walked to McCoy's office and sat down, "Explain."

"From the first scan it appeared that Parsons had done a fine job of starting to destroy his mind rules and remove his memories. He had found something to block Spock from accessing the mind rules and was slowly turning him into little more than an living android. From what I found on his arm near a puncture wound Parsons had started to give him the drug that would have permanently taken his free mind and left just his intelligence and body to be used. It is drug that also temporarily drops all Vulcan defenses against fully experiencing emotions. Now Tyler might have taken some medical supplies without authorization, but Jim, Tyler saved not just his life but also his sanity."

Only then was Kirk pleased he had not seen any more of the disc than he had. He knew then that, had he ACTUALLY seen Parsons doing what McCoy was telling him had been done to Spock, there was nothing, **nothing** that would have stopped him from killing Parsons with his bare hands. Tyler had taken the disc as proof. Kirk looked through at the sleeping officer and shook his head.

No. He had seen the man, had heard him, and knew that he had taken it **not as proof** but to **stop anybody from ever seeing it** or having it used against Spock. He had accepted that in that brief time Tyler and Spock had been together something had happened, there had been some connection on a private platonic level, that he would possibly never know about or be a part of. A part of him was momentarily angered but then accepted that Spock was allowed those private times just as he was. It really did not matter. He had his best friend back and that was all that mattered.

Fini

* * *

**A/N This is one of a series of the shorter short stories I wrote back then (the 1980's). As I have a space of two weeks before next lot of medical testing am going to try to clear/retype some of them. Have fun and enjoy.**


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